


That expression you wear

by AngryLittleMouse



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Asthma, Ciel is sick, Gen, Kidnapping, Mild Hurt/Comfort, parental Sebastian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-03-15 03:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13605006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngryLittleMouse/pseuds/AngryLittleMouse
Summary: Just another kidnapping, just anothe rescue. But something has changed.





	1. Chapter 1

Ciel felt the blood trickle down his temple, warm and thick.

It hurt.

His head throbbed painfully, and the ringing in his ears drowned out the laugher of men and the clinking of glasses around him. His sight was blurry, affected by the smoke and heavy perfume in the air. The dryness in his throat made him cough and wheeze raggedly.

Ciel straightened his back and leaned against the wall behind him. He could feel the coldness seeping through his white shirt, sending shivers down his spine. The sudden movement made the world around him turn and spin. He closed his eyes, focusing on the beating of his heart.

_Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump._

It wouldn’t be long now, Ciel knew. Soon enough, Sebastian would sweep in, take care of the other people in the room and bring him home. He didn’t know what his kidnappers wanted from him this time.

_Petty revenge, probably._

He slowly opened his eyes.

They wore expensive jackets, and their canes were adorned with intricate golden and platinum heads, resembling his own. The leader, sitting at the head of a long table, raised his glass and cheered loudly, his rough voice cutting through the air like a knife. Everyone else got silent.

“Let us celebrate this day, gentlemen. Today we may grace ourselves with the successful arrest of Ciel Phantomhive, watchdog of her majesty.”

The crowd joined in: it laughed, cheered, mocked and came up with graphic descriptions of the fate that supposedly awaited him.

Ciel clicked his tongue and let his head fall against the wall with a _thump._ “Your education must date back several years, or be shockingly inadequate for a man of your standing,” he raised his voice. The leader turned his head to look at him, and Ciel continued.  “To ‘arrest’ someone would commonly mean detaining a criminal found guilty of any kind of crime. What you did to me, however, would be classified as ‘abduction’ and will be prosecuted. _You’ll_ be the one arrested.”

_Or killed._

But he didn’t say that.

He’d talked big enough.

“Did you all hear that?” the man boomed and stood. “The brat is trying to educate me. _Me_! I’ll tell you something, Ciel _Phantomhive_.” The man pushed back his chair and walked over to the boy, crouching down in front of him. He grabbed his chin forcefully. “You are a criminal. And for you to deny that is ridiculous and makes you delusional. You kill, we kill. You’re just as bad as we; the difference is that the queen approves of your crimes while she demonizes ours. Do you think that’s fair? _Do you?_ ”

“There’s no need to get angry.” Ciel shook his head, casting off the hand hurting his jaw. “I was merely informing you of the current situation. You may think as ill of me as you wish, it doesn’t change a thing. Free me now, and you might live. You have approximately two minutes to decide.” His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. “Or one minute, it’s already taken him too long as it is.” Turning back to the man, he smiled. “That knot around my ankles looks pretty complicated and hard to disentangle; you might want to start now.”

“You’re pretty cheeky for a bloody, defenceless brat. Do you think this is funny?”

“No, I think this is troublesome and unnecessary.” He paused momentarily. “Your time is running out, by the way.”

Blood shot to the man’s head, turning it an angry shade of red. He huffed, lifted his hand and struck Ciel across the cheek.

“Damned brat! I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!” The man stood and loomed over Ciel. His hand disappeared behind his back and pulled out a gun. “A few shots to your legs shouldn’t kill you.”

Ciel felt the stinging pain in his cheek. As he saw the shiny weapon, dread pooled in his stomach. He swallowed. “I would put that away if I were you,” he wheezed. “You’re digging your own grave.”

“Good thing you are not me, then.” The man lifted the weapon and aimed at Ciel’s thighs.

Ciel wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, but in the same moment, he saw a black shadow land behind the man. He smiled wanly.  “How bad for you, that minute went by faster than I thought.”

There was a loud _crack_ and the man fell to the floor limply.

Silence.

Just the sound of slick shoes on marble floor, as Sebastian approached his protégé.

Then, shocked gasps and murmurs.

Ciel paid them no mind. “It took you too long, _again_.”

Sebastian sighed and crouched down. He began to work on the rope binding Ciel’s feet together. “I’m sorry, young master; it shouldn’t have taken me so long. There were a few _obstacles_ on the way here.” The rope fell to the floor in little pieces.

Ciel huffed and straightening his shirt as soon his hands were freed. He winced, straining the nasty bruise on his chest. Sebastian’s eyes roamed his body. His eyebrows furrowed, and his lips formed a thin line. “You seem to be in very bad condition. I shall bring you home at once. It will only take a few seconds.”

“It better,” retorted Ciel, and slumped. Taking his eyepatch off, he gave the command to end it all.

Everything descended into chaos. Gone was the silence. Terrified screams and yells bounced off the walls. Ciel heard the splattering of blood and guts, the ripping of clothes and skin, and the cracking of bones and furniture.

He didn’t look. Instead, he fumbled with his eyepatch, moving it back into place.

As soon as it had started, it ended, and Ciel wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and rest. But only as he felt Sebastian’s arms around his torso a few moments later, did Ciel fall into a deep slumber.

* * *

Ciel awoke in his bed. The blanket had been pulled up to his chin, engulfing him in warmth and a feeling of safety.

It was dark.

Yawning, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the tiredness. His body felt numb.

The pain was gone, just his sprained ankle sent a searing pain up his leg as he testily moved it up and down. He flinched and sighed, reached for the clock beside his bed and turned it in his direction.

03.00 AM.

“Sebastian.” His voice sounded rough, weak. He bit his lip.

The three familiar knocks on his doors were immediate, and Sebastian entered, carrying a tray with tea and what Ciel presumed to be soup. It smelled delicious, and his stomach rumbled in approval.

Sebastian greeted him with an elegant bow. His robe was pitch black, cleaned of any blood it might have been stained with. “How are you feeling, young master?”

Ciel rotated his shoulder in an attempt to ease the tension. “Better. Is that Darjeeling?”

Sebastian nodded, and walked around the bed until he stood right beside the boy. “I thought some caffeine might revitalize your senses. You slept for thirty-six hours, young master.”

Ciel made a grabbing motion with his hand, eliciting the butler a suppressed snort. “The young master looks like a child again. How precious. Would you like some milk with honey instead?”

“I’m not in the mood for you to make fun of me, devil. Just give me the tea.”

The butler did as he was told, and handed Ciel the porcelain cup. It was steaming hot, and it smelled like heaven. He took a sip. The hot beverage burned his lips, but it sent a comfortable warmth down his throat and into his belly. Pleasant shivers made him shudder.

Closing his eyes, Ciel sighed.

“Are you still in pain?”

Ciel raised his head and looked at Sebastian intently.

The butler wore _that_ expression. The expression he wore every time something similar happened. The expression he wore every time he got hurt.

It hadn’t always been like this.

Ciel remembered the disinterested stares he’d gotten after he’d been injured in the beginning of their contract. He remembered the disdain in those red eyes, the hate and anger and annoyance.

Now was different. There was softness; softness and something else. Ciel couldn’t decode it, but he knew it was different. It reminded him of the looks Tanaka gave him sometimes.

_Almost…_

“Young master?”

 _How foolish_.

He knew he couldn’t compare Sebastian to a human, because Sebastian wasn’t human. He didn’t feel like a human. He didn’t feel like Tanaka, so he couldn’t look like him.

 _Maybe I really_ am _getting delusional._

“I’m fine. The pain is bearable. Just hurry up next time, so this won’t happen again.”

“I promise I will be faster next time.“ There was a pause. “But I will do my best to ensure that there won’t be a ‘next time’,” Sebastian responded with a stern and strangely serious voice.

Moonlight shone through the crack between the curtains. It bathed the room in cold, blue light, illuminating Sebastian’s figure from behind.

“What’s wrong with you lately?” Ciel suddenly blurted out. “You’re behaving strangely.”

Sebastian blinked, and then smiled cryptically. “I think I might be getting old, young master.”

The boy snorted. “You don’t ‘get old’. That’s not a thing.”

“Maybe not,” said Sebastian, “but I do feel older. Tanaka has voiced similar opinions lately.” The butler furrowed his eyebrows in contemplation.

“What do you mean?”

“He told me I seem to resemble him more and more as times goes on.” Sebastian shrugged his shoulders. “So maybe I _am_ getting old.”

Suddenly, Ciel couldn’t hold back a quiet laugh. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it like _that_. And I’m glad I don’t seem to be delusional after all.” He winced as he realized he’d said that out loud.

It was Sebastian’s turn to look confused, but before he was able to ask, Ciel shook his head frantically. “A-Anyway. Leave me alone for now, I want to go back to sleep. Wake me in the morning as usual.”

Sebastian stood there for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. Ciel’s panic increased with every moment of silence. Then, finally, Sebastian bowed. “As you wish, young master.” He gathered the cups and walked to the door, tray in hand.

Ciel already felt his eyes droop and his body go limp as Sebastian whispered: “Maybe there’s some truth in what Tanaka said, young master. Maybe there is.”

As the door clicked shut, Ciel’s last thought before he drifted off to sleep already felt like a dream.

_Almost fatherly._


	2. Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to continue this! It's going to be a series of one-shots. You can look at them as being connected or not, it doesn't really matter.
> 
> Also!! It occurred to me that I've never replied to your lovely comments, and that just won't do. Thank you so much, it means a lot and I could squeal in joy every time someone decides to leave something.

Ciel knew he was getting sick before the fever took over his body; He felt the burning in his throat, and the congestion in his nose. The headache was just an added bonus.

Sebastian had thrown him a few curious glances whenever he’d sniffed, but hadn’t said anything to indicate he knew what was going on.

Ciel was glad – he didn’t need a demon ordering him to stay in bed, he’d lose a lot of time because of it. He couldn’t afford to lose time – not when his company was on the verge of developing a new toy Ciel was sure would be a hit with children of all classes.

Sitting at his desk, the young lord filed through various papers, slapping his signature on a few of them and sealing an important envelope. He watched as the red wax dried; now carrying his unmistakable sign.

Just as three familiar knocks resounded in the room, Ciel couldn’t supress a faint cough. He buried his face in documents, trying to look casual.

As the butler entered, however, he looked at his protégé, one eyebrow raised knowingly. “The young master seems to be coming down with a cold,” he observed. “Maybe it would do you good to take a rest, lest your asthma starts acting up again.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I must have coughed because Maylene didn’t clean my office sufficiently. You’ll tell her to do it over as soon as I’m leaving for dinner.”

“Yes, my lord.” Sebastian put the tray with tea and snacks in front of him, grabbed the tea pot and poured him a cup of Darjeeling. “However, I am merely concerned about your health. Your schedule has been very tight lately.”

Ciel scoffed and took a sip of the hot beverage. “What are you trying to tell me? That I can’t handle a bit of stress? I find that rather insulting.”

“With all due respect, young master, I have noticed alarming signs since this morning, but I decided to stay silent. However,” Sebastian knitted his eyebrows, “when the young master coughed just now, I felt compelled to intervene. Coughing hasn’t led to many good things in the past.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

“Lie down and take the day off.”

Ciel lifted the newspaper, looking at it with so much concentration it was obvious he was not reading anything at all. “I cannot afford to do that.”

“Young master, I humbly advise you to lie down and rest.”

“I humbly remind you that I am the master in this contract.”

“I humbly remind you that your health and survival are my top priorities, and that I will not back down from this.”

Ciel lowered the newspaper covering his face and looked at his butler. “Right,” he said, “because otherwise you’ll starve to death, if demons are even able to starve.” He folded the newspaper and held up his hand in a silent command. “No, I don’t even want to know.” Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. “I guess one day will be acceptable. I’d rather lie down with dignity than having a demon dragging me into my bedroom.”

Ciel stood and walked past his butler. “Forget what I said earlier,” he added, “Maylene shall take a break, _you’ll_ clean the office instead.”

* * *

Ciel knew he was being petty, but he also knew Sebastian liked their little games – just as he liked them, too.

As he lay in bed, the curtains closed, he stared at the ceiling. The burning in his throat had gotten worse over the last few hours, and at this point he didn’t even want to stand up and get dinner. Ciel swallowed and turned to lie on his side, but breathing got harder as soon as he moved, so he turned back around. His body was burning, and he knew he should throw back his thick blanket, but his arms felt too weak to even lift a feather. The shirt he worse stuck to his skin, drenched in sweat.

He yearned for a cold shower, but the thought of standing and moving nauseated him.

Discarding his last bit of resistance, Ciel admitted that he was sick.

Very sick.

And it promised to get worse when the tightness in his chest increased. He sat up in a flash, trying to take deep breaths.

In and out.

In and out.

In and –

Panic pooled in his stomach. He felt ice cold hands pressing down on his chest, encircling his neck – preventing him from breathing.

“Seba-“

“Young master.”

Ciel heard the voice, and it yanked him out of his feverish panic back to reality.

“Breathe.”

“I ca – I can – I can’t!”

His eyes widened, and his hands gripped the blanket for support – support a piece of fabric wasn’t able to give. Big hands engulfed his own, prying them open and wrapping themselves around them.

“I’ll be back shortly; I’ve purchased some mint oil after our last incident.”

Even with his mind in a haze, it didn’t escape Ciel how Sebastian left out the ‘at the circus’, but he was too distracted to sort out his thoughts and search for reasons.

Ciel hadn’t even noticed Sebastian had left the room until the bed dipped beside him again.

“Please lie down.”

Ciel heard Sebastian’s voice fade into the background, the ringing in his ears taking precedence. He knew he was losing consciousness, but he was too relieved to be scared.

* * *

“Young master.”

It was the first thing Ciel heard when he opened his eyes. He groaned, the bright sunlight blinding him. A shadow moved in front of the window, approaching the bed with slow steps.

The next thing he knew, a bare hand was laying on his forehead.

“Your fever seems to have gone down. Lady Elizabeth will be pleased to hear this.”

“Lizzy…?”

Ciel blinked and squinted, until he was finally able to make out Sebastian’s features.

“How does she know?”

Sebastian lifted his hand and put his glove back on. “She was here a few hours ago. Her surprise visit didn’t go as planned this time.”

Swallowing, Ciel grimaced. His mouth was dry and sticky, and his throat continued to burn mercilessly. “Bring me some water.”

Ciel recoiled as a glass of water appeared in front of his face. “Of course,” he murmured, not yet coherent enough to control what came out of his mouth. “Of course you would have already prepared a glass of water.”

“My, my,” Sebastian chided. “The young master seems to have forgotten I’m one hell of a butler.”

“Sebastian,” Ciel looked at him over the rim of his glass, his blue eyes glinting, “for once in your life, shut up.”

 

 

 

 


End file.
